Customer Reviews

Timecrimes

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

I would have never heard about Timecrimes if not for seeing it's trailer on the Let the Right One In DVD (another foreign film worth your time). Both are going to be remade here in the US, but I doubt they will come close to the originals. This is hands down one of the best time travel movies I have ever seen. You can tell that the budget wasn't much and the film only has a total of four cast members, but with good writing and acting you don't need million dollar SFX shots. There were many moments that caught me by surprise and the farther along the movie goes the more it draws you in. I'm not sure I got everything figured out after watching it the first time, but that's what makes these kind of films so great. You can tell the writer and director, Nacho Vigalondo, put a lot of time and effort in crafting such a masterful work of Sci-Fi/Suspense. Make sure you watch this film with subtitles and not dubbed because it makes a huge difference in tone. Take it from me, this is a must see. Add it to your rental queue and prepare to have 90 minutes of thought and wonder.

Although it is oddly classified under the horror genre, Timecrimes is definitely more fitting under the sci-fi/thriller categories, as this Spanish treat certainly delivers more on those merits than anything truly horrific. Karra Elejalde stars as Hector, a man whose tranquil life takes a different turn when he spots a naked woman (Barbara Goenaga). After he goes to investigate, he is stabbed by a man with a bandaged head, and that's only the beginning of Hector's troubles. His search for refuge leads him to a close-by science center and its technician (writer/director Nacho Vigalondo), and is only followed by a whole series of time-bending consequences. Yes, Timecrimes is one of those films that paying careful attention to helps, and while some of the developments may seem a bit predictable, the film manages to rack up the suspense factor, while also maintaining an intelligent and thought-provoking story. The minimal budget is meaningless, as Vigalondo manages to keep you enthralled throughout. With an American-ized remake on the way (of course), here's hoping that it manages to do Timecrimes the justice it deserves.

A huge heads up, for those who are considering purchasing the video via on demand. This is the dubbed into English version...not subtitled. I stopped the movie after five minutes in. Hugely disappointed by the non-disclosure.

Hector comes home to his posh suburban sanctuary. His wife greets him. They work on various projects around the house and yard. His wife decides to go to the store, while Hector does a little "bird-watching" with binoculars. When he sets off to investigate what he sees, he has no idea how complicated his life is about to become.

Los cronocrímenes (Timecrimes) is a cleverly written and directed, expertly acted Spanish film about time travel. Not time travel as it is usually imagined and romanticized, but as a new product that accidentally falls into the hands of people like you and me. This movie is so crisp and so witty, I'm convinced watching it makes people smarter. So watch it as many times as you can.

I had never heard of this movie, but I really liked it!!
It is a low budget, foreign film dubbed into English. The story really makes you think!!! I would recommend this movie to anyone who likes time travel movies!!

What a fun ride. And I say that once I found myself laughing when the credits rolled (and not in a bad way).

A plot description is almost pointless, but we will stick with it being a time travel film involving and affecting only four characters. Our lead stumbles upon a time machine near his country home and unfortunately sets into motion a series of interconnected time lines, that in the end only affect the few characters we have come to see over and over again. When the credits role, I hope you find yourself snickering at the irony.

The picture is grainy and there is often some artifact here and there, but I feel it ads an element to the obscure premise of the film. The 5.1 sound is adequate for the realm this covers, but the English 2.0 was atrocious, I only lasted a few minutes. The special features almost outweigh the film and garner an additional star on their own. Plenty of production background and behind the scenes for those interested.

As I have read in other reviews, this is a film to watch more than once. I think if you do, it will allow you to get past the picking out of inconsistencies (hard not to do when there soooo many) and to just have fun. For those that disagree, I think that last line and scene sum up the premise. This will continue to be an overlooked little gem until the remake comes out (I think Cronenberg is doing it).

TimeCrimes is actually quite enjoyable for a low budge movie. I know, the moment I see the keyword `low budget' I'm repulsed and possibilities of time wasted, but in all honesty you'll walk away shaking your head and wondering about this one.

It'll be a bit difficult to explain the premise as it is difficult to explain time travel paradoxes, movies like Donnie Darko or Einstein's Relativity Theory.
But I'll try.

The movie examines a day in the life of Hector, a forty-something year-old man who seems quite burnt out by life and in serious need of shaving. Hector and his wife seem to enjoy nature as we find them at their summer home (my interpretation) in the country side. Hector is a bit of a rascal as we see him straying away from house work and instead wasting time on lounging on a chair and snooping around with a pair of binoculars.

And here is where the movie picks up. Hector sees a naked woman in the not too distant forest and that image peaks his interest. While his wife takes off to a nearby store, Hector is off to the woods exploring his own horniness. When he finally finds the woman propped up completely nude against a rock, Hector is afraid to approach. Once near her, her attempts to touch her.

Then a strange man with a bandaged head and a trench coat pops up out of nowhere and stabs Hector with a pair of scissors. Hector manages to escape and wanders into a physics lab (why is there a lab in the middle of the forest is another question) where a scientist transports Hector back in time.

This is where I'll let the viewers judge the movie for themselves as the concept of a double or a triple Hector wandering through the same episode may take me hours to narrate.

Needless to say, the end of the movie ties quite nicely. And while the Hector grows on us, we are left with the realization that he is actually not a nice man at all. You'll know what I mean when you see the movie.

Movies in similar fashion:

) Primer
) Donnie Darko
) The Butterfly Effect

I agree with the previous postings here, so I too will not re-hash the plot. While watching it the first time, I unfortunately had to turn it off in the middle, which only served to confuse me because I was trying to piece everything together. It definitely had me wondering WHY? I was able to watch the rest, but was still confused. So I watched the alternate cut (exclusively to Blockbuster I believe) that shows the story in true chronological order, as opposed to Hector's point of view. While this cut (a mere 68 minutes long and only in Spanish with subtitles) would be even more confusing had I seen it first, it was definitely helpful in understanding the theatrical cut; not only in regards to Hector, but also the scientist (as a previous reviewer mentioned; the scientist seems to know what's going on completely.) Both cuts are expertly edited and the pacing is wonderful. If you get the opportunity, try to see the alternate cut; you won't regret it.

This is not a review of the movie because I had to stop watching after two minutes. The Instant Watch version is a terrible English dub. Do not buy or rent the Instant Watch version. I hear the movie is good though. I'm planning to rent the DVD from a competitor now.

This is one of the neatest time loop stories ever. You keep trying to figure out how the three Hector's won't ruin the time line and they accomplish it, finally. Then after the movie has been seen, you have to sit in a chair (like Hector 3) and figure how the line moved along.